Patent GB-1009503-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to radar tracking apparatus
Inventor: VOLES ROGER
IPC: G01S13/72
Filed: 1960-12-17
Abstract: 1,009,503. Pulse radar. ELECTRIC & MUSICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. Dec. 13, 1961 [Dec. 17, 1960], No. 43507/60. Heading H4D. Relates to target tracking in which radar means derives successive signals S n  representing the value of one co-ordinate of a target; and a digital computer produces a succession of discrete signals P k  which represent predicted values of that co-ordinate. According to the invention a plurality of P k  signals are produced in each interval S n , S n+1 , extrapolating means responsive to the P k  signals produces a signal C which continues from the last P k  signal until a new one is produced, signal C representing a continuous prediction of the value of the coordinate, and the digital computer is responsive to the differences between C and S n  signals at the times of occurrence of the latter in order to produce the P k  signals. The invention is described as applied to radar target tracking on an unstabilized platform, e.g. a ship; three co-ordinate frames of reference are used: relative polar and cartesian systems (locked to the deck of the ship), and an absolute cartesian system (locked to the earth). Individual extrapolating means are provided for each tracking channel. General, Fig. 4A.-Long- and short-range radars 52, 23 and a height-finding radar 24 are utilized. The operator, observing the display of radar 52, adjusts manual tracking controls which feed corresponding absolute cartesian co-ordinate values into the digital computer and place a marker on the display, the marker following the target. Radar 52 supplies an aerial-bearing signal B LA  to the computer which calculates, from the manual tracking information, the apparent bearing B A  of the target to afford a signal B A -B LA ; a signal B A -B LA  is produced. These two difference signals are converted into analogue form in the computer. The computer also produces a signal #R 1 -R, where #R 1  is the maximum range of radar 52 and R is target range. The three signals are fed to long-range radar analogue circuits together with a pulse synchronized with radar transmission. At a time corresponding to range R and when B IA  = B A , a pulse opens a gate 55 connecting radar 52 to the computer to indicate the crude target elevation. When the target comes within the range of radar 23, the operator arranges for an automatic circuit to take over target tracking. The bearing of the aerial of radar 23, B SA , is fed to the computer where it is subtracted from the apparent target bearing B A  as predicted by the computer and signals B A -B SA  and B A -B SA  are sent in analogue form to the automatic tracking circuits. A digital signal #R-R, where #R is the maximum range of radar 23 and R is the target range predicted by the computer, is also sent to those circuits, together with a pulse synchronous with transmission from radar 23. The tracking circuits include gates corresponding to the quadrants about the predicted target position; the radar echo pulse passes in different proportions through the gates dependent on which quadrant it is in, thereby giving signals #R and #B representing range and bearing errors respectively. The error signals are fed to the computer to correct the values stored therein. The computer operates sequentially on a number of targets, but an individual tracking circuit is provided for each target; hence commutators C 1 , C 2  . . . V 5  are provided. The aerial 24A of radar 24 is driven to bearings B A  under the control of the automatic tracking circuits in sequence; at any bearing the aerial swings in elevation and the elevation angle so found is compared with the predicted elevation angle E A  to afford an error signal #E A  which corrects the stored value in the computer. Detailed operation, Figs. 4B, 4C, 4F.-The error signals #B, 8R, #E for any one target are derived in digital form from converters 1, 2, 3 and the digital computer converts them to errors 8X, 8Y, 8Z in absolute cartesian coordinates; only the bearing angle # of the ship is taken into account since pitch # and roll # angles are small. The absolute cartesian target co-ordinates X, Y, Z are stored in respective units 5, 6, 7 and units 8, 9 store #X, #Y respectively, the computer being programmed to bring the values X, Y, X, Y up to date every tenth of a second. The same operation is carried out for every target in time multiplex. Unit 10 transforms the absolute values X, Y, Z to relative cartesian co-ordinates X A , Y A , Z A . From the X A , Y A  values unit 12 derives B A , the horizontal component r of the slant range R and the sine and cosine of B A ; unit 13 derives R, E A  and cos E A  from Z A  and r. Units 14, 15 and 16 respectively store R, B A  and E A  and their temporal derivatives #R, #B A  and #E A  are stored in respective units 17, 18 and 19. The latter values are utilized to update the former values every tenth of a second. Signals representing B A -B SA  and #B A -#B SA  are applied from digital-to-analogue converters 27, 28 respectively are applied to analogue extrapolating circuit, Fig. 4F: signal #B A -#B SA  is integrated, 29, and then added, 30, to signal B A -B SA  after the latter has been limited and clamped, 27A, see also Fig. 5 (not shown), thereby effecting a continuous prediction of B A -B SA . The output of the adder is fed to a circuit 31 which produces an output signal just before the output of the adder passes through zero, i.e. B A  approaching B SA , and the output of circuit 31 is applied to a generator 32 which produces two gating pulses, one on receipt of that from circuit 31 and the second a short time thereafter the transition ensuing when B A =B SA . The gating pulses are applied to gates 33A . . . 33D, the other inputs to which are derived from a circuit 39 operative from the signal #R-R: an output signal issues from counter 38 when it is full indicating that a short-range radar echo at the predicted range will be due shortly. Circuit 39 outputs are sequential pulses, the transition from one to the other occurring at the moment an echo is expected from the predicted range R. Generators 32, 39 together with gates 33A . . . 33D divide a small area about a predicted target position into quadrants. The target echo is fed in parallel to gates 40A . . . 40D which pass proportions thereof to indicate how far the target is from the predicted position and in which direction; these proportions are integrated in units S and then applied to summing circuits 41, 42 such that circuit 41 output is an analogue signal representing 8R and that of circuit 42 represents #B. The #R, #B signals are fed to respective analogue-todigital converters 2, 1, Fig. 4C. The long-range radar analogue circuits open gate 55, Fig. 4A, at a time corresponding to B A =B LA  and manually-tracked range R, Fig. 4D (not shown), and utilize elements similar to the " earlier " elements of Fig. 4F. The derivation of the elevation error signal #E from the output of the height-finding radar 24 is described with reference to Fig. 4E (not shown). Modifications.-In the above arrangement the analogue extrapolating circuit operates on a linear voltage decrement from B A -B SA  at a rate equal to #B A -#B SA ; in a modification B A -B SA  is replaced by unity and the decrement rate is modified to -(#B A -#B SA )/(B A -B SA ). In another modification, the decrement rate is maintained at -1 but the value from which decrement occurs is -(B A -B SA )/(#B A -#B SA ), Fig. 7 (not shown). Linear extrapolation may be replaced by e.g. parabolic or cubic extrapolation.